HB156 Alabama 2014 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Mark Tuggle

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2014

Title

Epinephrine, anaphylaxis preparedness program, St. Department of Education and local boards of education to implement by 2015-2016 scholastic year a plan for use of premeasured autoinjectable epinephrine at schools

Summary

HB156 would require Alabama K-12 public schools to implement an anaphylaxis preparedness program starting in the 2015-2016 school year, including on-campus premeasured epinephrine auto-injectors and trained staff.

What This Bill Does

The State Department of Education would develop the program and local boards of education would adopt and implement it in all public schools. The program includes three levels of prevention led by school nurses, plus a collaborative emergency response protocol with a physician that provides auto-injectable epinephrine on each campus. Trained school staff or other trained personnel could administer the auto-injector, and there are immunity protections for those involved; funding for the on-campus epinephrine is required from the state to enforce the provision, and the bill is structured to avoid imposing new local funding requirements under Amendment 621.

Who It Affects

• Students with severe allergies or at risk of anaphylaxis, who would have access to on-campus epinephrine and a formal emergency plan.
• Licensed public school nurses and other school staff who would lead or participate in prevention education, identification/management of chronic illness, and emergency response training.
• Local boards of education and public schools, which must adopt and implement the program and may incur costs if state funds are provided.
• Physicians who may collaborate with schools to develop emergency protocols and who may be immune from liability for actions related to the program.
• The Alabama State Board of Pharmacy, which would provide guidance to help develop and administer the program.

Key Provisions

• The State Department of Education must develop an anaphylaxis preparedness program to be adopted by local boards and implemented in all K-12 public schools starting in the 2015-2016 scholastic year; the Alabama State Board of Pharmacy shall provide guidance.
• The program has three levels of prevention (Level I: primary education for staff and students; Level II: secondary prevention by identifying and managing chronic illness; Level III: tertiary prevention with a planned emergency response).
• Local boards may collaborate with a physician to create and maintain an emergency protocol that includes a supply of premeasured autoinjectable epinephrine on every campus; trained personnel (nurses or others) may administer a single-dose epinephrine after training, with specified training requirements (recognition of symptoms, storage/administration standards, emergency follow-up).
• Participants and the training providers are immune from civil liability for acts related to the program; a physician involved in the protocol is immune from civil and criminal liability for actions related to the program.
• The requirement to maintain a supply of autoinjectable epinephrine on every campus is enforceable only if state funding is provided; the bill also states it does not impose new local funding requirements under Amendment 621 because expenditures would be by the school board with state support.
• The act is effective on the first day of the third month after enactment.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Education